SNG Daily: Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour To Lift Singapore’s GDP; Sweden Officially Joins NATO

Your one-stop destination for all the top international stories of the day.

Hong Kong’s New National Security Law Bill Comes With Tougher Jail Terms

Hong Kong’s Legislative Council is deliberating over a new national security bill that comes with tougher jail terms and broader definitions of sedition and state secrets. In a statement to Reuters, the European Union expressed “grave concerns” emphasizing its unease about the far-reaching provisions in the bill regarding “external interference” and the law’s global applicability. Hong Kong is trying to fast track the passage of the bill.

Sweden Officially Joins NATO As 32nd Nation

Two years after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine forced a rethink of national security in Finland and Sweden. Sweden is now officially the 32nd member of NATO after Finland joined last year. The Swedish PM handed over the final documentation to Washington. Sweden and Finland share a 1,340 km border with Russia and their joining NATO is seen as a blow to Putin

Strong Words For Trump, Republicans And Israel In Biden’s State Of The Union Speech

Facing questions regarding his age in an election year, Joe Biden made an energetic pitch during his over-an-hour long ‘State of the Union’ speech. He used the podium to target Trump without taking his name and ribbed the Republicans for enjoying and taking credit for his policies that they voted against. He also had some strong words for Israel’s leadership, warning it not to use humanitarian aid as a bargaining chip. The US will build a temporary pier in the Mediterranean sea to deliver aid to the people of Gaza.

Netanyahu Continues Tough Talk On Gaza, Pushes For Offensive In Rafah

Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said he will continue with Israel’s offensive against Hamas, including in Rafah, where an estimated 1.5 million people are crammed. Despite international condemnation and criticism of Israel bombs killing thousands of civilians in Gaza, Netanyahu said it was time to close ranks and stand together against attempts to stop the war. As per Reuters, Netanyahu also said, “Whoever tells us not to act in Rafah is telling us to lose the war and that will not happen.”

Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour Will Bump Up Singapore’s GDP

Economists revised Singapore’s first-quarter growth outlook upward, crediting part of the gains to the impact of Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour concerts. Taylor Swift performed six exclusive concerts in Singapore as a part of her Eras Tour. The median estimate in a Bloomberg survey suggests that the gross domestic product likely grew at the fastest pace in six quarters, expanding by 2.9% in the three months ending March 31.